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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. fine — all right
  4. charge — a price
  5. mark — a trace
  6. rush — hurry
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. wind — moving air
  9. charge — in control
  10. ball — a great time
  11. mark — a grade
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. charge — electricity
  15. fine — high quality
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. ball — a dance
  21. wind — moving air
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com